By Anietie anii-bassey
Syria held follow-up parliamentary elections on Sunday in the northeastern province of Hassakeh and the strategic town of Kobani, marking the first time residents in those areas have participated in national voting since the regions were brought back under central government control earlier this year.
The elections were organized to fill the remaining seats in Syria’s new People’s Assembly after much of the country voted in parliamentary polls last October. At the time, large parts of northeastern Syria remained outside Damascus’ authority and under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, preventing voting from taking place in those territories.
Sunday’s vote covered 11 parliamentary seats, with nine allocated to Hassakeh province and two representing Kobani in neighboring Aleppo province. Syrian officials described the elections as another step toward restoring state authority across the country following years of civil war and political fragmentation.
The elections come during a fragile and uncertain period for Syria, which is still struggling to recover from more than a decade of devastating conflict that began with anti-government protests in 2011 and later escalated into a prolonged civil war. The war destroyed major cities, displaced millions of people and shattered the country’s economy, leaving much of the population living in deep poverty.
The current parliament is the first formed since the fall of former President Bashar Assad, whose family ruled Syria for decades before being removed from power during a rebel offensive nearly a year ago.
Since then, interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and his Islamist-led administration have sought to consolidate control over the country while attempting to rebuild state institutions weakened by years of fighting.
The Kurdish-majority northeast remained one of the last major regions outside government control after Assad’s ouster. The Syrian Democratic Forces, backed for years by the United States in the fight against the Islamic State group, had maintained authority over much of the area, including key oil-producing regions and border territories.
That changed in January when government forces launched a major offensive against Kurdish fighters, eventually regaining control over Hassakeh, Kobani and surrounding areas. The military operation significantly altered Syria’s political landscape and expanded the reach of Damascus for the first time in years.
Government officials hailed Sunday’s elections as proof that the northeast had been politically reintegrated into the Syrian state. State media showed images of voters entering polling stations under heavy security while election workers supervised ballot boxes in schools and municipal buildings.
Despite the government’s efforts to project stability, skepticism and anxiety remain widespread among many Syrians, especially within minority communities. Some residents fear the growing influence of Islamist authorities and worry about political freedoms and representation under the new administration.
The Kurdish population in particular remains cautious following years of self-rule under the Syrian Democratic Forces. While some residents participated in the elections, others questioned whether the political process would genuinely address Kurdish demands for local autonomy, cultural rights and security guarantees.
Analysts say the parliamentary vote is largely symbolic but politically important for Damascus as it seeks to demonstrate national unity after years of territorial division. Critics, however, argue that Syria’s broader political future remains uncertain amid economic collapse, humanitarian hardship and unresolved tensions between ethnic and political groups.
Millions of Syrians continue to face severe economic difficulties, including soaring food prices, electricity shortages and limited access to healthcare and employment. Large sections of the country remain damaged from years of bombardment and fighting, while many displaced families have yet to return home.
Security remained tight throughout the voting process on Sunday, with checkpoints deployed across major roads and around polling centers in Hassakeh and Kobani. Officials did not immediately release turnout figures, though state media described participation as “positive” and “patriotic.”
The newly completed People’s Assembly is expected to play a central role in shaping Syria’s next political phase as the interim government attempts to stabilize the country and strengthen its authority over territories reclaimed after years of war.